diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4f96e6f8..9743cef3 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,7 +26,13 @@ include(cmake/Options.cmake)
 # Compiler configuration
 include(cmake/Compiler.cmake)
 
-# Project version and metadata
+# Project version (kept in main file for backwards compatibility with dev/generate_headers.py)
+set(COOLPROP_VERSION_MAJOR 7)
+set(COOLPROP_VERSION_MINOR 1)
+set(COOLPROP_VERSION_PATCH 0)
+set(COOLPROP_VERSION_REVISION )
+
+# Project metadata
 include(cmake/Version.cmake)
 
 # Project declaration
diff --git a/cmake/Version.cmake b/cmake/Version.cmake
index 9d8e0699..8cde7472 100644
--- a/cmake/Version.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Version.cmake
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@
 # metadata for CoolProp               #
 #######################################
 
-# Project version
-set(COOLPROP_VERSION_MAJOR 7)
-set(COOLPROP_VERSION_MINOR 1)
-set(COOLPROP_VERSION_PATCH 0)
-set(COOLPROP_VERSION_REVISION )
+# Note: COOLPROP_VERSION_MAJOR/MINOR/PATCH/REVISION are defined in main CMakeLists.txt
+# for backwards compatibility with dev/generate_headers.py which parses CMakeLists.txt
+
+# Compose version string
 set(COOLPROP_VERSION
     "${COOLPROP_VERSION_MAJOR}.${COOLPROP_VERSION_MINOR}.${COOLPROP_VERSION_PATCH}${COOLPROP_VERSION_REVISION}"
 )